Vibes blog

Holy Ghost Tent Revival Praise be, but somebody tell me when these banjo-fueled revivals have finally simmered down. Lest we be accused of party-pooping on this group of Greensboro jump-blues and ragtime partisans, we’re all in favor of the young’uns discovering music whose roots transcend, I dunno, The Strokes, but for anybody with some miles on ‘em we’ve jitterbugged ’round this maypole before (Squirrel Nut Zippers anyone?). Still, these cats do not lack for live energy, and last year’s studio debut, So Long I Screamed, had enough songwriting nuggets to suggest that once they tone down the shtick – several members are theater vets, and you can tell – good things await. With Philly’s Hoots & Hellmouth. The Evening Muse (John Schacht)

MDC The band’s debut 7″ (in 1981) was titled John Wayne Was a Nazi. The Cali blokes have since released and toured their toxically political hardcore and punk nuggets with a few periods of intermittent inactivity. MDC (Millions of Damn Cops, Multi-Death Corporation, Millions of Damn Christians, take your pick) have been spewing guitars-blasted, vocals-thrashed, lyrical bombast that still shakes the girders of gin joints around the world with nary a care for trends – musical, political or otherwise. Also on the bill are Embrace the Kill and Dirty South Revolutionaries. Milestone (Samir Shukla)

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Earl Scruggs Sometimes you make the music, sometimes the music makes you. The 85-year-old Earl Scruggs, like former bandmate Bill Monroe, is one of those guys who has made music in his very own image, creating a genre from the ground up. Having basically invented three-finger bluegrass banjo (now called simply “Scruggs style” if it’s called anything at all), Scruggs melded jazz and blues into what was too often a hopelessly white (if white-hot) art form, and laid the groundwork for all the “newgrass” bands to come later. His picking has slowed a little bit over the years, but Scruggs has always taken good care of himself, so the drop-off is negligible. Besides, did anyone really complain that Babe Ruth didn’t hit the ball 500 feet toward the end of his career? No. They just came to see the legend hit one over the wall. Presented by The Neighborhood Theatre, Ovens Auditorium (Timothy C. Davis)

Eyes of the Elders CD Release The show may be listed as Eyes of the Elders, but it’s all Stump Dickens these days. After the departure of Josh Panda last year, the guys known as Uncle Fox and Bearcat joined forces with a live band. The guitar of Austin Hill is well known from his solo work and that with Humans, and he brings the same fire to Stump. Christina Swinger’s violin is also heavily showcased on the album and brings a classical, eerie and sometimes jazzy element to the groove. The band’s celebrating its new seven-song EP. Snug Harbor (Jeff Hahne)

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Umphrey’s McGee You know they plan on “kicking out the jams,” so to speak, and sure there’ll be plenty of new stuff from the band’s January album, Mantis. The band, which was formed in Notre Dame, leans toward the prog-rock side of jam street. With plenty of albums – and Jammy Awards – it’s sure to be a long night. Neighborhood Theatre (Hahne)

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The Shockwaves Sloppy is good. This Atlanta punk-and-garage combo stumbles and fumbles over the instruments but struts out rocking nonetheless. Last summer’s release Pankastroika is kooky on the spy movie theme tip, yet is decidedly cocky. The band is more punk than hardcore, and takes cues from both the West Coast (Dead Kennedys) and early Brit punk. Also on the bill: Southside Punx, Murder Media and IED. Milestone (Shukla)

The Stellas This young Rock Hill/Charlotte-based quartet do the power-alt-pop thing with agreeable enough aplomb. Consisting of bass player Josh Knight, vocalist/guitarist Adam Middleton, drummer Jacob Worden and newest Stella Shaun McFall, the Weezer-worshipping wee ones also seem to have cut their teeth on a solid stack vintage vinyl from the likes of The Kinks, The Zombies, and The Hollies, with a little Cobain and The Cars thrown in for roughage. With Nathan Morris & Joanna Lynne; No Second Troy & Last November. The Evening Muse (Timothy C. Davis)

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Son Volt
Neighborhood Theatre
Feb. 19, 2009

By Rhiannon Bowman

The Deal: Son Volt, an alternative country band formed by Jay Farrar in 1994 after Uncle Tupelo’s break up, plays The Neighborhood Theater on Feb. 19. See photos of some of those in attendance here. (more…)

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Ben Sollee The unusual combination of Sollee’s oh-so-soulful and pleading voice, think Al Green and Marvin Gaye, along with his sparse cello plucking and playing marks Sollee as an intriguing new solo presence on the scene. Sollee has arrived with lyrically astute songs, the politically lit “A Few Honest Words,” and sinewy renditions, Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come,” from his new debut album Learning to Bend. He is classically trained yet rooted in soul. Visulite Theatre (Shukla)

Hellblinki Sextet File this anachronistic Asheville co-op under Gypsy Rock, with all the attendant Waits/Brecht/Django/Gogol Bordello references that apply. Nobody’s reinventing the wheel here, but then this particular mode of musical transport has roots as old as the Romani themselves, and rarely fails to seduce. Last year’s Oratory was the band’s best and most concise statement yet, meaning of course that its boleros and waltzes and blues and flamencos came from all over the musical map. With Sonic Death Rabbit and Andy the Doorbum. Snug Harbor (Schacht)

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U-Melt NYC quartet’s progressively-charged grooves and jamming underscore the veteran musicianship that’s lit with jazzy keys, funky guitars and a solid rhythm section. The key to its fluid sound is the combination of unattached (to any genre) improvisation tinged with a knowing interplay. The jams aren’t overly spacey and are just funky enough to suit any occasion. The Mumbles will open. Double Door Inn (Samir Shukla)

Son Volt In retrospect, the bigger story was how Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy lasted as long as they did in Uncle Tupelo, not that they split up. Tweedy’s an extrovert, and his well-documented creative restlessness makes Wilco a compelling story; the reserved Farrar, on the other hand, evolves by burrowing deeper into the country rock templates of Dylan and Crazy Horse Young (with the occasional nod to Revolver and Pleased to Meet Me). Still, for those content to follow an artist fully committed to this ethos, the nuance is just as compelling, and on stage Farrar gets a six-string boost from one of the best young twang-guitarists in the business, Chris Masterson. Alvin Youngblood Hart opens. Neighborhood Theatre (John Schacht)

The Noises 10 The record deal with Jive may have fallen through, but that doesn’t mean these guys don’t have talent. They pack the Visulite and Snug Harbor every time they play, but this time around, it’s a little bit different. They’re at a different venue and they’re going “unplugged” for an acoustic recording session. Probably well worth getting in and checking out. The Evening Muse (late show) (Hahne)

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Crowntown Showdown It’s a monthly event that we’re a sponsor of and we’ll support it until the cows come home. What other chance do you have to see a handful of bands for a low price? We don’t get any profit from it – we only support the bands and try to get you off your ass and out to the show. This time around, it’s Elonzo, Megan Jean & the Klay Family Band, Kenni Falls, Transmission Fields, Jared Allen & Co. and Sea of Cortez. Double Door Inn (Jeff Hahne)

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Lamb Handler’s CD release party is tonight at Snug Harbor.

Megafaun To little initial fanfare, this Raleigh trio released its captivating debut in 2007; well-deserved word-of-mouth spread, and Bury the Square was picked up by Table of the Elements early last year. The record’s six tracks read like a suite more than distinct cuts, running the gamut from textured tape-loop glitches and feedback breakdowns to call-and-response field hollers, piano-and-violin interludes, and delicate banjo-driven folk (Megafaun formed from the ashes of DeYarmond Edison, which also spawned Bon Iver). Like fellow alchemists Akron/Family and Califone (they’ve shared bills or toured with both), there are few sounds this trio can’t pretzel into new and intriguing shapes – but never at the expense of accessibility. Here’s hoping there’s more in the works. Opening for The Rosebuds. Visulite Theatre (John Schacht)

The Duhks The bilingual and soulful singer Sarah Dugas is a fine new addition to the Canadian quintet The Duhks. The band is on the road with their fourth recording Fast Paced World, which combines folk-rock, roots and an Afrobeat underlining that highlights pacing, phrasing and harmony. Call it neo-folk or neo-roots, but The Duhks deliver. Neighborhood Theatre (Samir Shukla)

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By Gman

Beer Pong is not a crime. You hear that A.L.E.? It’s NOT a crime. It is, however, the act of throwing a ping pong ball into a cup and and clearing all the cups on your opponent’s side of the table. Simple enough, right? Some, or I should say most, do it for fun. Then there are those of us that take it way too seriously, become a talented player and win either money, tournaments or just a little bit of respect.

For those who don’t know who I am, I’m GMAN and I work for Lazyday.com and I’m a seven-year vet in beer pong. Starting at a bar in Bay Shore, N.Y., … and currently walking away from my last table at The World Series of Beer Pong IV in Las Vegas, Nev.

Recently, as I live in Charlotte, I have found that, yes, I am a great Beer Pong player and I don’t find myself losing much. I do win a tournament from time to time — although I did lose to Brittney Cason once.

But this past September, my partner, DJ Vampire Head and myself got into the World Series of Beer Pong IV in Las Vegas. I was cocky and I was just coming off a big tournament win so I said fuck it, why not. If you’re good at something, why not make some money doing it?

This, in turn, brought to me four months of absolute madness and a ridiculous amount of practicing and nights hammered out of my skull. The days went by and the games added up, a few wins here, a few more, a few more, a loss, a few more wins and etc. We had Buckhead Saloon signed up to sponsor us which I thank them greatly for. (more…)

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